Kitchen of the Week: Open and Airy in White, Wood and Blue
A design-build pro creates a light-filled space with multiple workstations, a bright palette and room to entertain
Design-build pro Erik Bergstrom and his wife were living in a 1,000-square-foot home with no garage, little storage and a tight galley kitchen that often required the couple and their guests to eat outside during dinner parties. Once their two daughters entered the picture, the couple knew it was time for more space.
To create a home specific to their needs, they decided to build a new two-level house in Redwood City, California. At the top of their wish list was an open kitchen where family and friends could hang out with the cook. In terms of style, Bergstrom loves natural materials and a transitional look, while his wife leans more traditional. To strike the right balance, the couple gathered inspiration photos on Houzz in separate ideabooks. They then reviewed the photos and merged their two styles to create a relaxed yet luxurious kitchen with an airy atmosphere, multiple workstations and a stylish white, wood and blue palette.
To create a home specific to their needs, they decided to build a new two-level house in Redwood City, California. At the top of their wish list was an open kitchen where family and friends could hang out with the cook. In terms of style, Bergstrom loves natural materials and a transitional look, while his wife leans more traditional. To strike the right balance, the couple gathered inspiration photos on Houzz in separate ideabooks. They then reviewed the photos and merged their two styles to create a relaxed yet luxurious kitchen with an airy atmosphere, multiple workstations and a stylish white, wood and blue palette.
Alternating materials for the countertops and backsplash create a layered look that keeps the eye moving. A raised bar counter on the island and the perimeter countertops are concrete-look quartz. “Cast concrete would be too cost-prohibitive,” Bergstrom says. “This quartz was a great solution at a great price point. It’s like bulletproof and looks great.” The main island area and range backsplash area are Calacatta Macchia Vecchia marble.
The rest of the kitchen walls are clad in warm white handmade tiles in a faint pattern. “My wife was really big on U.S.-made items,” Bergstorm says. “These happen to be from a local vendor, and she fell in love with these tiles after she saw them on Houzz. It’s a fairly busy pattern, but the rest of the kitchen is pretty neutral, so they really pop.”
The island features a prep sink, while below the window sits a large workstation sink with two commercial-style faucets. “The kitchen was really designed around having multiple people involved in the cooking process,” Bergstrom says.
Blue-and-brass stools coordinate with the lower cabinets and satin brass cabinet pulls. The island pendants are an updated take on traditional New England-style onion lanterns and feature a brass lacquered finish, blue accents and opal glass.
Black faucets, range, window frames and other details add a touch of dramatic contrast. Two structural steel beams in the ceiling and two faux beams bring a bit of texture and interest.
Backsplash: Calcite Chaine Homme, Fireclay Tile; perimeter counters: 4033 Rugged Concrete, Caesarstone
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The rest of the kitchen walls are clad in warm white handmade tiles in a faint pattern. “My wife was really big on U.S.-made items,” Bergstorm says. “These happen to be from a local vendor, and she fell in love with these tiles after she saw them on Houzz. It’s a fairly busy pattern, but the rest of the kitchen is pretty neutral, so they really pop.”
The island features a prep sink, while below the window sits a large workstation sink with two commercial-style faucets. “The kitchen was really designed around having multiple people involved in the cooking process,” Bergstrom says.
Blue-and-brass stools coordinate with the lower cabinets and satin brass cabinet pulls. The island pendants are an updated take on traditional New England-style onion lanterns and feature a brass lacquered finish, blue accents and opal glass.
Black faucets, range, window frames and other details add a touch of dramatic contrast. Two structural steel beams in the ceiling and two faux beams bring a bit of texture and interest.
Backsplash: Calcite Chaine Homme, Fireclay Tile; perimeter counters: 4033 Rugged Concrete, Caesarstone
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The large workstation sink features various inserts for straining, mixing, drying and other tasks. “The sink is one of my favorite things in the kitchen,” Bergstrom says.
Above the sink is a folding window that opens to an outside bar. “We wanted people to be able to sit out there and watch us prep inside, and then we can just serve the food to them through the window,” Bergstrom says.
Sink: Ideal Workstation 5S in Graphite Wood Composite, The Galley Brands; faucets: Purist in matte black, Kohler
6 Things to Consider When Choosing a Kitchen Sink
Above the sink is a folding window that opens to an outside bar. “We wanted people to be able to sit out there and watch us prep inside, and then we can just serve the food to them through the window,” Bergstrom says.
Sink: Ideal Workstation 5S in Graphite Wood Composite, The Galley Brands; faucets: Purist in matte black, Kohler
6 Things to Consider When Choosing a Kitchen Sink
This view shows the raised quartz bar counter against the main marble countertop on the island. “We loved the durability of the quartz and knew the issues with marble in a kitchen,” Bergstrom says. “But we wanted to offset that where people would be eating. We were at the marble store and fell in love with this marble. It has warmth and richness and just screamed to be in this kitchen. We know it’s going to age and patina over time, and we accept that.”
A microwave sits below the countertop on the interior side of the island (not shown). And seasonal storage cabinets sit on the exterior side in front of the stools.
Wall paint: Classic Gray, Benjamin Moore
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A microwave sits below the countertop on the interior side of the island (not shown). And seasonal storage cabinets sit on the exterior side in front of the stools.
Wall paint: Classic Gray, Benjamin Moore
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
The kitchen opens to this family room, which includes a pinnacle skylight and transom windows that flood the space with light and views. “I just thought it was a unique feature,” Bergstrom says. “It definitely included some structural issues to consider, but we really wanted the natural light to come into this space. It has some LED tape lights up inside the skylight so it actually produces light at night.”
Double glass doors open completely to an expansive deck. The open kitchen-living layout creates the kind of lively connection the homeowners were looking for. “It has a great feel,” Bergstorm says. “It’s a kitchen and house designed to be lived in.”
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Double glass doors open completely to an expansive deck. The open kitchen-living layout creates the kind of lively connection the homeowners were looking for. “It has a great feel,” Bergstorm says. “It’s a kitchen and house designed to be lived in.”
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Erik Bergstrom, his wife and their two daughters
Location: Redwood City, California
Size: 336 square feet (31 square meters), including a walk-in pantry and coffee bar
Design-build firm: Erik Bergstrom of Ebcon Corp. | Hughes Construction
A large window over the sink and two high horizontal windows on the range wall fill the kitchen with natural light. A generous dose of white via the upper cabinets, ceiling and trim (Decorator’s White by Benjamin Moore) enhances the brightness.
Blackened teal blue lower cabinets (Gentleman’s Gray by Benjamin Moore) and rift-sawn white oak paneling on the refrigerator and island — as well as white oak flooring, open shelves and a range hood detail — add warmth and balance. “It makes my wife happy to have the white cabinets, and I got the blue,” Bergstrom says.
A coffee bar in a niche off the kitchen to the left features a coordinating color and material scheme. A walk-in pantry is opposite the bar.
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